Audiphone



R. S. RHODES. Audiphone.

No. 236,177. Patented Jan. 4,1881.

Wit messes: Imvenior:

N.PErERs, PHGTO-UTHOGRAPflER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNrrRn STATES PATENT Orrica,

RICHARD s. RHODES, or RIVER PARK, ILLINOIS.

AUDIPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,177, dated January 4, 1881.

Application filed January 19, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, RICHARD S. RHODES,

residing at'liiver Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Device for Increasing Sound and Communicating it .by the Teeth, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation showing the device folded or closed; Fig. 2, an elevation showing the device opened or spread out; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal section of the device closed.

The object of this invention is to construct a device which can be folded so as to occupy but a small space when not in use, and which, when opened, will receive and respond to sound-waves and communicate them, through themedium of the teeth, to the brain or acoustic nerve, and thereby enable deaf persons to hear; and its nature consists in providing several sheets or pieces of thin sonorous material, pivoted or joined together in such manner as that they can be folded one on or over the other into a small compass, and be opened or spread out so as to increase the surface sufficiently for receiving and transmitting the sound-waves, the plates or sheets, when opened, being strained or subjected to a sufficient tension to cause them to respond to sound-waves or cause sound -waves to give the plates or sheets their own vibrations; and in providing a projection or lip for use in special cases, to enable the proper contact to be made between the teeth and the plate or sheet.

In the drawings, a a a represent three sheets or plates of thin sonorons material, which plates may be made of vulcanized rubber or other suitable material that will respond to sound-waves. As shown, these plates are united at their lower ends by means of a rivet, b, and their upper ends are left free, so that they can be opened and closed like a fan, the outer sections, when the device is closed, folding in over the inner or middle section, so that the space occupied will be the size of the center or middle section, and when the device is opened these outer sections will project beyond the center or middle section sufficiently far, so that the combined surface presented will be sufficiently large for the purpose of receiving the sound-waves and responding to the vibrations thereof, and carry the sounds thus produced through the teeth to the acoustic nerve. The plates or sheets a a. a are to be made thin, so as to be sensitive to sound-waves.

By means of this device, when the leaves or .sheets are opened, the tones of an ordinary conversation will be conveyed through the medium of the teeth and bones to the brain or acoustic nerve, thereby enabling deaf persons to hear and carry on conversation.

In use the several sections or leaves are opened or spread apart, and the device is placed in contact with the teeth at the point where the sections a a at the upper end come together, and is strained by pressing upward against the teeth, to cause it to respond to sound-waves, which pass through the medium of the teeth and bones and convey the sound to the person using the device.

When not in use the leaves or sections are folded together, and can he carried in the pocket or by the side like a fan.

A suitable handle, that will not interfere with the folding or unfolding of the sections or leaves, may be applied to the center or middle section, if desired.

Guides may be located at each of the upper corners of the center or middle section, beneath which the outer sections pass, so as to prevent them from springing out of place.

By making the sides a a fold onto or partly lap the main or base plate a, the three plates are strained by straining the middle or base plate, and the straining brings the parts in contact together, with a slight pressure against each other, which action gives the sides or wings their utility.

The parts or sections can be united in other ways than by a pivot at their lower end, and accomplish the desired results of closing the device, so as to have it occupy less space, and spreading or opening the leaves or sections, so as to enlarge the receiving-surface sufficiently to receive and transmit the sound-waves, and the form or shape of the sections may be changed so long as they are formed and united in such manner as to secure the desired result of folding or closing and opening or spreading, and not interfere with the transmission of the sound-waves to an extent that would render the device Wholly inoperative or irresponsive to sound-waves.

c is a projection or lip attached to the plate a in any suitable manner, and projecting beyond the edge of such plate. It is designed to be used in cases where persons have lost some of their teeth, so that the edge of the plate cannot be brought in contact With the teeth, and is used by placing such projection e in contact with a tooth. This projection 0 can be used with other forms of devices than the one shown, and can be applied to the device at any desired point to enable the proper contact to be made between the transmitting-plate and the teeth or tooth of the person using the same, and may be of any form suitable for this purpose, and it also assists in straining the plate.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. Adevice for communicating sound through the teeth, consisting of thin sheets or plates of sonorous material, pivoted or joined together so as to be folded or closed and opened or spread apart, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The projection or lip c, in combination with a sheet or plate of thin sound-conducting material, for adapting such sheet or plate for use in special cases in transmitting sound by the teeth, substantially as described.

RICHARD S. RHODES. Witnesses:

0. W. Born), H. W. MURPHY. 

